Federal shutdown affects operations at SAMHSA

The political impasse over government funding that has led to a partial shutdown of federal operations is certainly having an impact on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Visitors to the SAMHSA website this week are greeted with this boxed message atop the homepage: “Due to the lapse in government funding, only websites supporting excepted functions will be updated unless otherwise funded. As a result, the information on this website may not be up to date, the transaction submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.”

Sounds like a long way of saying that SAMHSA’s shop is largely closed.

SAMHSA also included in this website update a contact for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, for individuals or families in crisis who might try to contact SAMHSA in search of guidance.

Let us know if this interruption in the work of the federal behavioral health services agency has you concerned about any potential effects on your program or agency.